* Is Being a Good Person Enough to Get Into Heaven?* Is Being a Good Person Enough to Get Into Heaven?
The Call with Nancy Sabato
Nancy Sabato and Arnie Cole talk about whether being a good person is enough for heaven, drawing on research, personal experience and the message of grace in Jesus. The conversation focuses on gentle, relationship-based ways to discuss eternity, sin and hope with those who feel unsure about what comes after death.
6:18•4 Nov 2026
Is Being Good Enough? Arnie Cole Talks Grace, Heaven and Real Faith
Episode Overview
- Relying on personal goodness leaves eternity uncertain, while trust in Jesus is presented as a secure foundation.
- Research showed only 1% of respondents expected hell and many were unsure about what happens after death.
- Arnie Cole came to faith at 47, finding that scare tactics about hell were far less effective than encountering the love of Jesus.
- Meaningful conversations about eternity start with listening, building relationships, and avoiding harsh, transactional approaches.
- Believers are encouraged to be biblically grounded and extend the grace of Jesus to others with patience and love.
“It’s not a transaction. It’s about a relationship with Jesus Christ.”
How do people find hope in the darkest times? This conversation on *The Call with Nancy Sabato* turns a big, awkward question into a warm, honest chat: is being a "good person" really enough to get into heaven? Nancy talks with Arnie Cole from Back to the Bible, who shares that he didn’t become a follower of Jesus until he was 47.
Before that, when Christians warned him about hell, he’d brush it off with humour: “Well, at least I’ll be with my friends.” That line alone will ring a bell for anyone who’s ever dodged serious faith talks with a joke. Arnie and Nancy walk through research on what people believe about eternity.
Arnie explains that only 1% of people in their national study expected to spend eternity in hell, and that nearly a quarter said they weren’t sure what happens after death. You’ll hear how that uncertainty opens a door for gentle conversations rather than pushy debates. Instead of scare tactics, Arnie stresses relationship and grace. He says, “It’s not a transaction.
It’s about a relationship with Jesus Christ,” and shares how reading the whole Bible as a new believer helped him understand the love of Jesus rather than just rules and fear. The chat gives practical ideas for Christians wondering how to talk with friends who think being kind and decent is all that matters. The tone stays kind, hopeful and Bible-focused, with Arnie urging people to listen first, build trust, and let the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting.
As he puts it, Jesus “extended that grace to me, to us. And we need to extend that grace…in a loving way.” If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about goodness, heaven, or how to speak about faith without turning people off, this conversation might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for. Could this be the reminder to move from just “being good” to something deeper?
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